mayor on primetime

just listened to the entire interview. The stadium is dead if Fred carries on down this path. He shows no signs of compromise. Hopefully there are enough councillors that don`t share his lack of vision

That’s how I read him too. He’s just buying time, he’s up to something…

REally? I only heard probably the last half, but I didn’t hear that at all. He sounded quite willing to compromise to me. Yes, he did say that he felt the WH was still the best place, but how could he not?? He can’t turn around now and say “well, yeah, after all this time, I, too, don’t think its all that great either.” Not gonna happen.

I thought he handled it all pretty well. Didn’t say a whole lot, other than saying things should be left in the past and that the Ticats were partners. Sounded pretty good to me.

Yes he can say the WH is dead. In fact its imperative that he does as a first step. Sounded to me like he still intends to ram through a city centre location which translates to Rheem in my books

I agree, he is up to something and is just trying to put a good face forward to make it look like he (the city) is willing to work but they have waited too late. Say goodbye to the stadium and likely the ticats.

It very well may be too late and this falls fully in the lap of this loser.
Why some of you would/could defend this man is beyond reason.

When I hear Mayor Fred it reminds me that for the second time in human history an Ass has spoken.

slo: AKT is wrong. I agree with you. I thought the Mayor sounded like he was willing to accept there would have to be a compromise. About time too… but at the same time I sensed some reluctance from him about having to look at the MIP.
I also disagree with others about the deadline. I think if there is some progress made, Hostco will extend it to the end of September. The Mayor sounded to me like he thought an extension might be needed.
But who knows. If an extension is given, I think that will be the last one.

In addition to the 56 million dollars commited, they mayor is trying to get 30 to 40 million dollars for his croate handler WH Condo project and the Ticats are trying to get the city to build them a 28 000 seat stadium with a 15 million dollar investment. The whole thing as become a joke really. The only way I can see them getting an extension is by committing to ONE site and that is not going to happen until another 50 to 70 million get's offered to these guys by the feds something that is unlikely to happen in this econmic climate.

Do you believe or hope West Harbour (aka Rheem Factory site) is among them?

It was stated during the latest city council meeting that the City Manager will negotiate with the Ticats to find a mutually agreeable site. Since WH is a site that is not agreeable to both parties, its technically off the table. So people need to stop being hung up with WH being part of the list of other sites. WH is not going to happen unless the Ticats agree to it. Simple.

I’m not defending him at all. I’m just communicating my interpretation of what I heard on the interview.

Of course he’s going to be reluctant! He just spent the last year pumping the West Harbour – plus, anything city owned at the MIP is a potential loss of tax revenue. That’s the compromise.

I’m blown away that people here would think he’d just up and change his opinion. What I heard was that he’s moving on, but still holds the belief that the WH would work. Well, he sure as hell better believe that. Otherwise we went through all this for nothing.

I also think Hostco, provided they see the Cats and city arm-in-arm on this are going to do whatever they can to maintain the status quo.

And what is that impression based on??? Past history. His belief the WH site is still the best. His nervous laughter when confronted with the question of the TigerCats importance in the process. The fact he said he didn't think MIP was a good site. Thats a very small part of how I get my impression. The fact is that he said zero that indicates that he is serious about abandoning his WH crusade but rather lamely explained that the city manager is looking into alternate sites as if that means he supports that effort.

I doubt there will be anything close to an arm-in-arm all smiles relationship between the city and Cats come next week in front of HOSTCO, very much doubt it.

Completely agree AKT, the Mayor will continue to try and call the TigerCats bluff IMHO. Because he knows Bob doesn't want to move and he will use that information, is using that information to the kilt.

I’m blown away that anyone can believe the mayor is serious that he’s looking at another site when he refuses to acknowledge that Rheem is dead. As long as WH is alive in his mind there is no chance of him agreeing to anything else. Its painfully obvious. He’s far from ready to move on.

I thought he said he didn’t think it was AS good a site as the West Harbour. He said enough for me to believe that they are moving forward with the Ticats. That’s all I need to hear. His opinions on any site are virtually moot. Besides, what’s said in council should hold a bit more water than what he says to Bob McCown – shouldn’t it?

I couldn’t care less whether the mayor chains himself to the Rheem plant and goes on a hunger strike in support of that location. We all watched the council meeting. We all saw the vote. We all heard the marching orders given to council. We all heard that discussions with the Ticats would not include the WH location for a stadium.

Is the WH dead? No. It better not be. It badly needs attention and is part of this councils mandate to do something about it. The mayor said himself that the Cats would not play there. Fine. But it’s part of their challenge to figure out how that part of the city will get some attention.

I know what the decision of council was and what direction the city manager was given. I also remember the exact thing happening with regards to Fenn and facilitation and council ignoring the results of the effort. I see the same posturing from council and the mayor as then. I really hope I'm wrong but I fear the same 10-6 result based on the total lack of understanding and belief that Rheem is more important than a stadium based on the mayors comments and the comments of others. Leave it to this crew to get no stadium AND no redevelopment of Rheem :roll:

Agree AKT. The question is now becoming to me, how fast does Bob Young act on another location when the Rheem site is continued to be the site of council and therefore HOSTCO yanks things to Toronto and Hamilton maybe gets enough funding for a smaller stadium at Rheem?

Does he act quickly not even waiting for the fall elections or are the fall elections worth waiting for?